Mindfulness or Daydreaming – What does the brain look like on creativity?

 

 

In a documentary about the rock band, the Eagles, one of the band members said that it was known that the creative impulse comes from the dark side of the personality. At the time, this was given as one explanation as to why so many of the very talented are prone to addiction, depression and anxiety is as fuel to the very talented and so is a big part of the famous. That may be, but, scientists are discovering now that creativity is like so much else fueled by relaxation and daydreaming. And they now have evidence to back that up, by giving the Grammy award-winning musician and composer Sting a brain scan while he composed music.

This is also good news for daydreamers, as daydreaming turns out to not be a waste of time after all.  Our brains are actually very much alive when we are daydreaming or resting, and that those times of quiet contemplation are doing a great deal to help restore the balance.

To prove it, neuroscientists and music professors at McGill University looked at what was happening in Sting’s brain while he quietly, contemplatively listened to music. A daydream is the brain drifting off into visuals, but for creative people, they spend half the daydream criticizing the results of that image. Scientists looking at the scan of Sting’s brain while he was composing were surprised to find that there was a great deal of activity in the area at the back where there is usually only activity when the subject is picturing something or watching a movie.

So why does this matter? This kind of daydreaming is the opposite of meditation and mindfulness. Our brains are meant to work, and a healthy, creative mind has something to do and may make its way to the dark side of emotion, but it doesn’t stay there. Scientists studying the brain are learning a great deal from those who are creative, and those who have extreme difficulties with focusing and attention deficit disorder. ADHD causes significant difficulties and costs for those who have it, but it also has creative benefits. Studying the brain is providing a great deal of information in this area.  Isn’t it strange that the brain, which is the most important part of human health, is also the last one we are learning about?

But we are learning about it now. Learning more about how the brain works and how we keep it healthy is contributing to what we know about human beings and mental health in a big way. The app store is full of calming meditation apps? Should we be using them, or are they a gimmick of these self-help times?  Fidget spinners? Yes or no? It’s hard to say, but scientists are finding that more daydreams means more intellectual and creative ability and overall more efficient brains

It helps, they say, to be able to control how and when we daydream so we can channel that activity into something useful, instead of something that causes us to miss something important and make a mistake because we were not paying attention. And that is why we are taught to be mindful. It’s not one or the other. Mindfulness needs to be practiced but daydreaming should also be encouraged, as long as both have their place.

.